Donna Spruijt-Metz, PhD

Current Research

Major Areas of Research Interest

My major areas of research interest include understanding the relative contributions of metabolism, physiological and psychosocial development, built and social environment, cognition and emotion to adolescent health-related behavior and behavioral motivation. As a pediatric obesity researcher, I am particularly interested in how these various elements influence diet and physical activity, and how we can use this knowledge to promote physical activity and healthy diet in ethnically diverse adolescent populations, with a focus on female populations.
        
Research in Progress
                                            
Understanding physiological and psychosocial determinants of physical activity in girls of color. Guided Imagery and Motivational Interviewing to promote healthy diet and physical activity in minority youth. Acute impact of different nutrients on metabolism, psychological variables, and health behavior. fMRI studies to understand overweight vs. lean children’s neural reactions to food. Preventing Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Use (ATOD) use in adolescents and emerging adults. Developing games to promote physical activity and fitness.
                                            
Research Grants in Past 5 Years

Principal Investigator

1. Understanding and preventing college smoking.                                  $74,851

TRDRP (Tobacco-Related Disease Control Program)
2000-2003, Principal Investigator (75%)

1. Cancer prevention through preventing the decline in                            $12,609
   physical activity in adolescent girls.
   (NCI) Norris Cancer Center Innovative Cancer Control Pilot Grants
   2001-2003, Principal Investigator  (6%)

 

1. Physical activity and weight concerns in early adolescent girls.           $277,903
   NIH (NIDDK)
   2001-2004, Principal Investigator (75%)

1. Promoting physical activity in adolescent and young                           $9,564
   adult populations.
   USC undergraduate programs (this is a grant that undergoes peer review and provides stipends for undergraduate students to work on supervised research)
   2001 - 2002, Principal Investigator

 

1. Is active participation in religious activities related to reduced             $4,000
   stress and healthier lifestyle in adolescent populations of
   diverse ethnicity?
   The Center for Religion and Civic Culture Undergraduate Research Award
   2002-2004, Principal Investigator

1. Relationships between adolescent spirituality/religiosity,                     $5,000
   health-related behaviors, and biopsychosocial health across                         ethnicities and religions.
   The Center for Religion and Civic Culture funded by The Pew                   Charitable Trusts
   2003-2004, Principal Investigator

 

1. Understanding the meanings of drug use in high risk                           $19,913
   college populations.
   USC Transdisciplinary Prevention Research Center funded by NIDA
   2003-2005, Principal Investigator (3%)

1. Relationships between religion, religiosity, spirituality and                  $5,500  
   health in ethnically diverse adolescent populations.
   USC Undergraduate Summer Research Awards
   Student award to Rigoberto Garcia
   Summer 2004, Principal Investigator

 

1. Relationship between adolescent religiosity/spirituality                        $2,500
   and health among adolescents.
   The Center for Religion and Civic Culture Faculty Research Award
   2004-2005, Principal Investigator

1. Acute effects of simple carbohydrate intake on mood and                   $50,000

                     physical activity in Latina girls.
                     Baxter Foundation Award
                     2004-2006, Principal Investigator (20%)

1. Metabolic and behavioral effects of breakfast frequency and              $45,000
   Quality in a Bi-Ethnic Sample of Children: A Transdisciplinary
   Cross-Site Developmental Project.
   TREC Pilot Study Program NCI
   2006-2007, Principal Investigator (5%)
   
2. USC Center for transdisciplinary research        Total Directs               $7,199,887
   on energetics and cancer.
   Project 2: Insulin Resistance and Declining      Project 2 Directs         $1,062,503
   Physical Activity Levels in African American and Latina Girls
   Goran & Bernstein, Center PI’s
   Spruijt-Metz, PI Project 2 and Core B Co-Director (40%)
   NCI U54CA116848

      2005-2010

1. Obesity in minority children and youth             Total Directs Center    $5,216,861
   in Los Angeles: A generation at risk.
   Project 1: Effects of High versus Low              Project 1 Directs:        $1,661,154
   Sugar Meals in African American and Hispanic Youth
   NCHMD P60 MD002254-01
   Goran, PI, Center
   Spruijt-Metz, PI Project 1 (20%)
   2007-2012
   

Co-Investigator

1. Understanding and preventing the decline in physical                          $47,087      activity in adolescent girls.
   Goran, PI, Spruijt-Metz, Co-Investigator (50%)
   Wright Foundation
   2000-2002

 

1. Exercise strategy to prevent pediatric type 2 diabetes.                                     $96,000

(multi-center trial) (subcontract)
Cooper, PI, Spruijt-Metz, Co-Investigator (20%)
NIH/NIDDK
2001-2006

1. Preventing obesity through playground utilization.                               $25,000

Funded by the Zumberge Fund.
Reynolds, PI, Spruijt-Metz, Co-Investigator
2003-2004

1. Neighborhood predictors of class I urban trail use.                               $300,000

Robert Woods Johnson Foundation (RWJ)      
      Reynolds, PI, Spruijt-Metz, Co-Investigator (20%)
      2003-2005

1. TTURC: Genes, environment and tobacco use across cultures.            $5,824,288
   Johnson, PI, Spruijt-Metz, Co-Investigator (7%)
   NIDA 2 P50 CA84735-06 (Johnson)                                                   

2004-2009         

1. Guided imagery intervention for obese Latino adolescents.                 $20,000
   Weigensberg, PI, Spruijt-Metz, Co-Investigator
   CReFF (GCRC Clinical Research Feasibility Fund program)

      2005-2006

1. Intra-abdominal fat and risk of disease in adolescents.                         $3,052,785

      Goran, PI, Spruijt-Metz, Co-Investigator (10%)
      NIDDK (NIH) R01-HD/HL 33064 (Goran)
      2005-2009

1. Combining strength and cardiovascular exercise                       Yr. 1 – $35,000

(Circuit Training) to Reduce Obesity and Associated Disease                                 
Risk in Overweight Latino Youth
      Davis, PI, Spruijt-Metz, faculty mentor                      
      TREC Pilot Study Program NCI
      2006-2007

1. Functional brain responses to a model of sensory-                    Yr. 1 - $25,000 specific satiety in normal weight and overweight adolescent girls.

      Salter Venzon, PI, Spruijt-Metz, Co-Investigator                   
      TREC Pilot Study Program NCI
      2006-2007

1. Social network influences on diet and physical activity.           Yr. 1 – $50,000

      Valente, PI, Spruijt-Metz, Co-Investigator (5%)        
TREC Pilot Study Program NCI
2006-2007

1. Guided imagery intervention for obese adolescents.                 Directs – $400,000

Weigensberg, PI, Spruijt-Metz, Co-Investigator (20%)          
      NIH-NCCAM                          
2006-2008

1. Development and testing of a 1 year maintenance.                   $175,000
   Intervention to Reduce Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes in
   Latino and African American Adolescents
   Davis, PI, Spruijt-Metz, Co-Investigator (mentor)
   The Dr. Robert C. Atkins Foundation
   2006-2010
   
2. Circuit training and motivational interviewing to reduce          Directs- $470,875
   type 2 diabetes in youth
   Davis, PI, Spruijt-Metz, Co-Mentor
   NIDDK (K01DK078858)
   2007-2011
   
3. Circuit Training to Lower                                              Total directs: $244,500
   Breast Cancer Risk in Latina Teens
   Davis, PI. Spruijt-Metz, Co-Mentor
   California Breast Cancer Research Program (13IB-0065)
   2007-2009

 

1. Translational Research: Applying drug prevention        Total directs  $1,996,817

to obesity prevention.
NIDA R01 HD052107-01A1: Response to PA-06-415
Pentz, PI, Spruijt-Metz, Co-Investigator (5%)
2006-2011

1. Translation of a novel resistance training intervention to a       Yr. 1 – $35,000  home environment for overweight Hispanic youth.

      Kelly, PI, Goran, Spruijt-Metz, co-faculty mentor
      TREC Pilot Study Program NCI
2007-2008

1. Drug Abuse Prevention for                                            Total Directs   $2,217,677

High Risk Emerging Adults
NIH/NIDA                                                       
1 R01 DA020138-01
Sussman, PI, Spruijt-Metz, Co-Investigator (25%)
2007-2012

1. Effects of a Smart Growth Community on                   Total Directs: $2,634,092
   prevention of family obesity risk.
   NCI CA123243-01
   Pentz, PI, Spruijt-Metz, Co-Investigator (5%)
   04/01/2008-03/31/2013
   
2. Effectiveness of Social Mobile Networked Games       Total Directs: $178,115
   in Promoting Active Lifestyles for Wellness
   Robert Wood Johnson, Response to Health Games Research Funding Opportunity
   Gotsis, Valente Co-Principle Investigators, Spruijt-Metz, Co-Investigator
   

 

                     Co-Principal Investigator

1. Sexual abuse of adolescent girls in urban Nigeria.                                $149,876
   Erinosho, Osotimehin, Weigrod, Spruijt-Metz, Co-PI (50%)
   NIRP (Netherlands-Israel Development Research Program)
   1998-2002

 

1. Best-practice models for faith-based initiatives serving                        $25,000       homeless and runaway youth in Los Angeles County.                                   
   Ferguson, PI, Miller, Spruijt-Metz, Co-PI (2%)
   Urban Initiative
   2003-2004

1. Innovative programs servicing homeless and street-                             $35,000          living children around the world: A comparative study                                                         of Mumbai, Nairobi and Los Angeles.
   Ferguson, PI, Miller, Spruijt-Metz, Co-PI (2%)                      
   Larson Foundation
   2004 –2005
   
2. Innovative programs servicing homeless and street-living                    $40,000 children around the world: A compilation of best-practice                                                              models from Los Angeles, Mumbai, India and Nairobi, Kenya.                                         
   Urban Initiative
   Ferguson, PI, Spruijt-Metz, Co-PI (2%)

      2004 - 2005

1. Prospective analysis of obesity and depressive symptoms                    $30,769    
   in Asian and Hispanic adolescents.
   Xie, PI, Spruijt-Metz, Co-PI and faculty mentor
   Larson Foundation                                                                                            
   2006 – 2007
   
   Pending
   
2. Places to Play: The Shifting Emotional Geographies                            $249,883
   of Minority Girls Growing Up
   Spruijt-Metz, PI  (10%)

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
2008-2010